Buff and wax price

[denlock]

Originally Posted by vsheetz

Wow! Hey, I'll do it for half that, just $2500. (-:

Such a deal!

[denlock]

Originally Posted by gridfighter

I run a RV and boat repair shop .polishing a 40 Ft motor home for 400$ is just ridiculous . first of all, you can't even cover the salaries of your employee .
If you find a friend willing to do it for you for 300$ ,you should not mention it as a option to someone asking for professional job cost .you can have a car fully repainted at a reputable body shop for 4000$ or the son of your cousin can do it in his fathers garage for 400$ ,he use material he stole at work does not pay any rent or electricity .....................see the difference ?.

here is a story you need to consider .10 years ago a customer called me to come and look at a job some kid had started on his 38 FT Trawler ,you could see 30 spots grinded open all over the deck .then the kid realized he was over his head and vanished . he had a quote of 500$ the cost to fix the damage 4500$

you take a 300$ polish and realize the graphics are burned through ,clear coat burned through ,the guy did not even polish but just wax, there is no way you can have a unit done for this kind of money professionally

A friend of mine runs a body shop group and also teaches ICAR classes. He said what Newmar quoted me was way out of line.

[Betr2Trvl]

Originally Posted by lakewoodpaul

Can you explain why it took you 5 hours to wash your rig and again 5 hours to wash it 3 days later? Seems like a lotta time.

I didn't have time to respond to your first question "why 5 hours?" when I responded on doing 2 sessions a couple months apart......

So, why 5 hours?

Well, it takes me 2+ hours minimum just to wash my car, and taking 3 hours is not uncommon.

So why? Washing and drying is how you get most swirls / micro scratches in your paint.

I wash a modified top to bottom on my cars and RV.

First I wash the wheels and tires, get them done......

To wash the rest of the coach, I use a soap dispensing nozzle, as well as a bucket with soapy water and a rince bucket (dip your wash mitt into the rince water and wring it out before going back in the soapy water). Spray a section with soapy water, soap up the mitt (separate mitts for tires, lower section, and upper sections), and wash a small section at a time, then rince it off with fresh water.

It is best to wash horizontally, vs. vertically as it will minimize reflections off swirls and micro scratches. It's hard to wash the upper sections of an RV back and forth, so there usually is some compromise working the mitts vertically.

Next I do the front end and lower sides (on the coach, I am basically doing the basement doors).

Of course I start with a fresh wash bucket and rince bucket. You have to keep your mitts clean. I'll use at least 2 (if not 3) fresh buckets of rince and soap water doing the lower sections and front. I will also rince out my mitt several times (or more, depending on how dirty the coaching) with the hose to ensure I keep the grit out of the mitt.

Then I do the upper / rest of the coach top down. I probably clean out my buckets 4 or 5 times, and rince my mitts with the hose 5-8 times working the upper sections. I use an extension pole with mitts that have Velcro closure on the back to attach to a pivoting head.

I try to keep the entire coach wet while I am washing, so I minimize water spotting.

Drying takes time too. On my cars, and the lower sections of the coach, I apply the detailing spray directly on the wet panels, then dry them, gently. The detailing spray lubricates your towel so it will minimize micro scratches / swirls a dry towel can put in the paint, and it also gently picks up any dirt you may have missed. It also adds a very small ammout of wax to your paint. Try to dry in horizontal motions.

For the upper sections, I apply a very liberal amount of detailing spray to my towels. I drape them over a soft head on my extension pole......... Unfortunately you end up using a vertical motion.........

Again, make sure your drying towels are clean. I use 3 -4 to dry the coach.

Then dry the wheels, again, apply detailing spray when you dry them.

Then wipe out the basement doors etc.

Yep, 5 hours........

And yes, this kind of effort really makes a difference........ Not only do you keep your vehicles looking better than new, I get a lot of self satisfaction out of it. On my cars, The last 2 I sold (a 6 1/2 yr old BMW and an 8 year old Porsche) went to the first person that saw them at "my price". When we traded our Mercedes GLK (not towable) for our Jeep, it never got on the lot - one of the dealership managers "claimed it" and it was sold to a member of his family, and I got both the trade value and buy price I was shooting for.

Regards!

[Mike and Cha]

Betr2Trvl, I get your whole concept and see why it takes you the 5 hours. I also spend a couple hours on my cars when washing and none of my vehicles, motorcycles, boats, or RV's have ever been washed by anyone but me, except for maybe what was done at the dealer prior to me taking possession. Even when I have taken it in for free service they offer, when they also offer to wash it I tell them no. All my stuff still looks better than the first day I bought it, so I think we are on the same page.

I guess my biggest question is how do you keep the entire MH wet before drying it. I have my washing process down to about 5 hours, but if I left it wet without washing/drying in sections(which creates extra work), the other areas would dry completely leaving water spots and streaks so how do you do that. I will generally wash a section, dry it, apply the wax, and then move onto washing another section. When I get one side done, then I start taking the wax off, and apply wax to another section, before taking off the next section. This kind of keeps me at a pace where the wax is ready to wipe off, with no down time.

I also do this over a few days time span, but if there is an easy way, or a secret to how you are able to wash the whole thing without drying it in sections, I would love to be able to do it that way.

[Betr2Trvl]

Originally Posted by Mike and Cha

Betr2Trvl, I get your whole concept and see why it takes you the 5 hours. I also spend a couple hours on my cars when washing and none of my vehicles, motorcycles, boats, or RV's have ever been washed by anyone but me, except for maybe what was done at the dealer prior to me taking possession. Even when I have taken it in for free service they offer, when they also offer to wash it I tell them no. All my stuff still looks better than the first day I bought it, so I think we are on the same page.

I guess my biggest question is how do you keep the entire MH wet before drying it. I have my washing process down to about 5 hours, but if I left it wet without washing/drying in sections(which creates extra work), the other areas would dry completely leaving water spots and streaks so how do you do that. I will generally wash a section, dry it, apply the wax, and then move onto washing another section. When I get one side done, then I start taking the wax off, and apply wax to another section, before taking off the next section. This kind of keeps me at a pace where the wax is ready to wipe off, with no down time.

I also do this over a few days time span, but if there is an easy way, or a secret to how you are able to wash the whole thing without drying it in sections, I would love to be able to do it that way.

While I will always wash the wheels and lower sections "all at once", I have on occasion done the upper section on one side, then dried that one side, which depends on how I am working around the sun......... Otherwise I just run around with the hose and wet down the one side that was done first several times while I am doing the other side. By using detail spray as you dry, it will help remove minor water spotting you may during the wash if it is not really baked on.

I can't see waxing the same day I wash, my back just won't take more than 5 hours (on a car or the RV). Obviously, you need good weather, which is I split my first big detail into 2 multi day sessions, and I kind of expect that to be the norm.

I really don't have an expectation yet on how often I'll wax or when I'll need to polish out again; my guess is that I'll polish / wax out my basement doors, half of which are black, at least once before I have to do the whole coach again, which should only take a (probably long) day........... Using detailing spray as you dry also adds a bit of wax to the finish, and I have found prolongs the time between waxing on my cars, and I expect the same on the RV.

As for cars being washed at the dealer, I not only tell the service advisor not to wash them and put it not the ticket, but I put a big, bright sticky note right on the dash where you can't miss it "Do Not Wash" .

Regards!

[Mike and Cha]

Betr2Trvl....If I do wash and wax the same day, I only do one side or less. Like you it just wears my back and shoulders out. I have had three shoulder surgeries in the last 4 years but they are holding up pretty good. I too work around the weather and try to do anything I can on a cloudy day. You may have already mentioned it but what is the name of the detailing spray you use(and where do you get it) when drying, I want to try that next time. So far I wash it about 6-8 times a year, with three of those being a wash and wax. Thanks for all the tips.

[Betr2Trvl]

Originally Posted by Mike and Cha

Betr2Trvl....If I do wash and wax the same day, I only do one side or less. Like you it just wears my back and shoulders out. I have had three shoulder surgeries in the last 4 years but they are holding up pretty good. I too work around the weather and try to do anything I can on a cloudy day. You may have already mentioned it but what is the name of the detailing spray you use(and where do you get it) when drying, I want to try that next time. So far I wash it about 6-8 times a year, with three of those being a wash and wax. Thanks for all the tips.

While I have used many products over years, for most general detailing products I have been very happy with most products from Griot's Garage and Adams. I buy from Griot's through thier web site and I buy Adams through Detailers Domain out of NJ (I had a local source in Atl. for a while; I think you can order directly from them too).

I used Griot's Poly Wax (a sealant) and Complete Compound on the coach. The Poly Wax is a sealant (I use Adams and Swissvax carnubas was on my cars these days) while I was very happy with Poly Wax for th RV. Complete Compound worked very well as a one stage polish given that the paint was pretty good to start with.

I now use a a Flex VSP machine, with various pads that I have acquired over the years from Adams, Griot's, and others (while I have a couple micro fiber faced pads, I still seem to prefer foam in most cases).

I like Adams detailing spray a little better than Griot's Speed Shine, but order from either one depending on what else I happen to need at the time. Same with the wash.

Regards!

[Mike and Cha]

Betr2trvl, Thank you, I'll have to try those. I've been using a McGuires Carnuba, wax with no cleaners, I've been getting from a local guy. It works ok and keeps the MH looking great, nice and smooth and any dirt washes right off. It just doesn't last as long as I would like it to.

[Betr2Trvl]

In general, sealants will last longer than carnuba waxes, so that is why I use a sealant on the RV vs. carnubas on the cars which live most of their lives in the garage.

Luckily, we have a nice covered storage spot for the coach, while open, 3 sides are fully covered and only the back gets any direct sun at all, and that is minimal. But when you are out (we spent about 140 nights on the road in our first year of RVing, and expect to do the same this year), a coach just takes a beating in the weather, sun etc.

"Adjusting expectations" with the Jeep hasn't been too bad, and I've used an Adams carnuba on it. But, I've polished out the hood after most of our longer trips just to get the water spotting out of the paint........

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Regards

[gridfighter]

I added a picture to show the difference between buff wax and only wax .I have the feeling some of the posters don't understand the difference .
a wax job on a coach is possible for 400$ ,I think it would be a real good deal.

when the unit is oxided like the shine is gone leaving white powder on your finger when you rub it
You need to remove all oxidation off by using a buffing pad and a buffer
you can only do 2 ft square at the time and sometimes up to 3 times each section .there is no one that would do such a job for 400$
it takes almost a full week to do this on your own
having a crew of 4 will speed it up to maybe a day .
8 hour time 4 worker times shop rate .I think it is obvious 400$ won't cut it

[gridfighter]

Originally Posted by denlock

A friend of mine runs a body shop group and also teaches ICAR classes. He said what Newmar quoted me was way out of line.

I agree with him
as a shop owner ,I can say this type of work just stink ,If I put one of my guy on a job like this it is seen as a punishment
if the unit is badly oxided ,you charge more in hope they don't get it done.
We do boats for 40$ a ft and RV for 40$ a ft RVs are just a pain to do over all the surrounding of everything in the way .

40$ a ft plus material is on the low end of a good job .I only do the ones sent by RV center over warranty issues like front cap on fifth wheel fading and finish extended warranty. any repair shop will make 4 times that money repairing impact and handling paint work

[Gsgarland]

We were at Newmar last Sept. for routine maintaince, when I filled out the check list of stuff to be done I checked the wax and buff by mistake!! Thank goodness the service guy said " are you SHURE you want this??" I'll pay more attention next time.....

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by vsheetz

Who / where?

Top of the Line. Call and book an appointment. If you want their number give me a PM.

[Tom-NC]

Hi,

I don't know about all this buffing, waxing, detailing. I wash my coach with water only and if it is real dirty I use RV wash anxd wax. Then after I dry it I let it sit for a day.
The next day I use Protect-All, easy on and easy off if you like. If you follow direction you can get a 35' motorhome done in one day and no orbital buffer or hard elbow grease.
The above was done on a full body paint coach. Older motorhomes need more work but remember you are dealing with fiberglass and not metal such as automobiles.
Take your time and you will love the results.